ASU Hornets compete in Battle of the Bands

MONTGOMERY, AL - Alabama State University's Mighty Marching Hornets Band has joined nearly 5,000 student musicians from 45 Historically Black Colleges and Universities in taking their first steps on "The Road to the Honda" in hopes of being one of the eight lucky bands slated to finish their journey in Atlanta at the 2010 Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase.

As in past years, the top HBCU marching bands are selected to participate in the invitational showcase by a combination of votes from HBCU's presidents, band directors, students, alumni and the fans, said James Oliver, ASU's band director.

"Online polling for the 2010 Honda Battle of the Bands Showcase will end Friday, Oct. 30, at midnight (EST), so we ask that all fans and alumni of ASU go online and vote for the Mighty Marching Hornets today," Oliver said.

The eight institutions selected to participate in the 2010 Invitational Showcase will be announced Monday, Nov. 9.

The Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase, scheduled to take place Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, is the world's largest and most highly anticipated HBCU musical event.The invitational not only serves as a platform to highlight and showcase the heritage and showmanship of the HBCU's college marching bands, but also serves as the only national music scholarship program of its kind.

For the 2010 program, ASU's Mighty Marching Hornets Band is among the 45 participating bands that will receive a $1,000 grant for their music programs with an additional $20,000 awarded to the eight institutions selected to advance to the 2010 invitational showcase.

For a list of the 45 participating HBCU's in the "Road to the Honda" and information on voting for the ASU Mighty Marching Hornets, visit www.HondaBattleoftheBands.com.

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